Plant seeks to expand

October 21, 1997

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - It measures 28,000 square feet, but a proposed addition at the Guardian Fiberglass plant would increase the size of the facility by only about four percent.

The addition was the subject of a pre-application conference Monday night before the Berkeley County Planning Commission. The manufacturer had already submitted a sketch plat and the next step is a detailed preliminary plat for the project, according to Planning Office Director Harry Carter.

The addition would be to the south side of the plant, located off Exit 8 of Interstate 81. Guardian Fiberglass did not send a representative to the meeting, but Carter said most of the addition would be primarily for a loading area. The company is also planning to move its rail spur to run along loading docks in the addition.

The former AT&T building occupies 708,000 square feet, according to Carter. Along with the loading area, the addition would have a 110-foot venting stack, according to Carter.